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  • #16
    I cannot lie i got in the water last on fri.

    Got in the water on Friday for an emergency dive. Hurt like heck!! Had to have my helper get boots on and off. I had no choice as I was gonna lose a big client.
    I know i shouldn't have done it but prayed about it and had helper close to me at all times.
    So this inability to bend over will get better? I cannot reach my feet at all, or put my shorts on! Please telll me it gets better. If i am fused all the way down how can bend again? all bending seems to be at the hips.
    Still have lots of pain and want to get off these meds. To early? How long did it take you Ed to get lest stiff? I know i am pushing it but i have to take care of my family.
    this Mon. will be 3 weeks i think post op surgery.
    Ed sitting in my tub with a tank of nitrox sounds like a dream come true for me right now.
    I got so wore out being in water for 2 hrs. on Fri. and then came home to the wife chewing me out. I might learn one day.
    Thanks again to all.

    Comment


    • #17
      I'm all new to this scoliosis stuff but have been reading nonstop for a couple of weeks now and I don't think I've come across anyone who has gone diving after less than a month post-op. I think your wife was right in chewing you out.

      I'm assuming you dive for a living and it wasn't just for fun b/c you mentioned the possibility of "losing a client"?
      Son 14 y/o diagnosed January 20th. 2011 with 110* Curve
      Halo Traction & 1st. surgery on March 22nd. 2011
      Spinal Fusion on April 19th. 2011

      Dr. Krajbich @ Shriners Childrens Hospital, Portland Oregon



      http://tinyurl.com/Elias-Before
      http://tinyurl.com/Elias-After

      Comment


      • #18
        Steve

        I know what it’s like being a business owner and having to hop in there to get the job done, but this is a time you have to say NO!!!. You only have one chance at this. You shouldn’t even be at the office.

        Just a reminder, and I know you know this stuff, but previous injury which includes surgery, predispose individuals to developing decompression related bubbles. If you get “bent” or even slightly bent, the chances of continuing pain in your back will be high. You DONT want to go there.........All the material on diving medicine says 3 months minimum. Diving on meds will also narc you quickly, like you need the buzz right now.

        STOP THE DIVING! 2 hrs! I afraid to ask how deep you were.

        Delegate your responsibilities off to someone else! Your health depends on this. Hire someone that can get the job done. Run an ad. The money isn’t worth risking your health.

        Take a deep breath and slow down. Diving is about safety....remember?
        Stop playing with fire.
        Ed
        49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
        Pre surgery curves T70,L70
        ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
        Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

        Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

        My x-rays
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

        Comment


        • #19
          Steve
          please please please stop!!

          no one needs to be a rocket scientist on this forum to figure out 3 weeks is too early for just about everything, except walking!!
          i have not gone diving, but even i can tell it is crazy to attempt it!!
          mention it to your surgeon and he'll probably explode!

          i know you need the clients/money, but if you end up worse...& i don't want to say how much worse, none of it will be worth it!!

          everyone needs a job right now...why not put an ad up at a college or even a diving school...there must be someone...a college kid...who could fill in to some degree, without costing you too much $$....
          better than costing your life!!
          and i think it is way too early to get off meds totally...didn't you say you've been on them for a long time before surgery?
          weaning off takes time...please don't try that too early, or without medical advice, either!

          Happy Thanksgiving...
          jess
          Last edited by jrnyc; 12-03-2010, 06:02 PM.

          Comment


          • #20
            Steve, You have already been properly chastised, so I will answer your question about being off meds. It is different for everyone, but for me, I was off meds by three months. As the pain lessens, you can gradually wean yourself, but don't try too soon. Your body will let you know. Good luck, and behave yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Also, regarding bending, also very individual. When you get to PT, they can help you adapt for flexibility.
            Sally
            Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
            Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
            Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
            Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
            New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
            Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

            "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

            Comment


            • #21
              T...ed.

              Ummm sure yeah i am not diving yet.
              Ok just a little. Fill real stupid having dive helper puttting on and taking off my booties.
              Seems like i am doing a lot of balancing on one leg.

              Comment


              • #22
                Jess

                Good to hear from you...even if you gave me a butt chewing. I know it is to early. And yes i am being very careful. Incesion is totally healed. It has been a month almost now. It is not that i need the money so bad as me and the wife prepared for my time out of the water. It is just i have to be seen around the business and a few things that only i can do underwater that are my specialtes.
                I am wearing my brace under my wetsuits. and making sure i do not lift anything heavy.
                As far as the meds go it does not seem like pain wise i am getting anywhere. Yes i know i am doing to much. I tried sitting on my butt all day and still hurt like heck.
                Still praying.
                SS

                Comment


                • #23
                  hey Steve...didn't mean to "chew your butt"...but you know perfectly well you shouldn't be doin' what your'e doin'.....i hope you don't pay for it later!
                  nuff said...i hope!

                  try not to go off meds too soon, even if they are making you feel a little goofy...the body can only heal so fast, even if you are a good healer...weaning down the number of pills is usually the way to start!

                  hope you have time to enjoy the holiday season!

                  jess

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Thanks to all

                    You know i sat here for awhile and prayed and thought about all the caring but harsh words you people had to say.
                    And you know what i came up with....you are right. I have got to slow the heck down and allow my body to heal.
                    Let me explain. I was a cop for a while and loved the go lifestyle. Once this back issue came along i had to rethink my life and career. I could not pass the physicals anymore. I started my dive company and have pored my heart and soul into it.
                    I know that i am not God like and cannot be replaced, but my family and business is all i have left. I really cannot do anything i used to like doing ie. surfing, biking, cave diving, etc. All i do is take care of my wife and kids and work.
                    I do not sit well and i lay worst! I am 5'9" and 150 lbs 41 yrs. old. This whole thing has kinda killed my spirit. I think if it was not for my wife and children i would have ate a gun barrel years ago.
                    I am truly sick and tired of living in pain. As soon as my eyes open in the a.m. i hurt. I medicate all day just to stay on my feet but i still hurt. Normal people don't know what it is like to have your life controlled by horrible pain that goes from the base of my neck to my butt crack, ALL the timel, everyday.
                    So if i do stupid stuff sometimes in the eyes of others, it is not cause i am an idiot. It is my only way of feeling like i am not just sitting around waiting to die.
                    Wow... that felt good.
                    Thanks for letting me vent.
                    SS

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      It's good to vent Steve! I do it all the time whether people like it or not, lol.

                      I can understand your frustration, or at least I 'think' I understand. Keep carrying on carrying on. What else is there to do? One day (or one step) at a time.
                      Son 14 y/o diagnosed January 20th. 2011 with 110* Curve
                      Halo Traction & 1st. surgery on March 22nd. 2011
                      Spinal Fusion on April 19th. 2011

                      Dr. Krajbich @ Shriners Childrens Hospital, Portland Oregon



                      http://tinyurl.com/Elias-Before
                      http://tinyurl.com/Elias-After

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        hey Steve
                        it's completely understandable to feel angry...pain and immobility are so frustrating...
                        back when i had Lyme disease, and was terribly sick with it, i got so tired of always feeling physically awful, and it got to me mentally/emotionally...doing everything doctors tell you to do (after going undiagnosed for a year and a half) and still not getting better was so frustrating to me!! i felt angry a lot...just at my situation, besides angry at the doctors who practically said, for a year and a half, that i was just a hypochondriac, and maybe not really sick!! you get the idea...

                        now, i am in constant pain from scoli, degeneratve disc disease, spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, listhesis, hypokyphosis, etc etc...and though all the surgeons i've seen want to operate, none can say i will be pain free afterwards...and needing fusion to the pelvis is the biggest thing keeping me from the surgery!!

                        so please, give yourself credit for having the guts to have the surgery...and give yourself the time to heal! it is not a luxury for you...it is a necessity for you!! and it will allow you to take better care of your wife and kids, because once you heal completely, you will be strong...and just about unstoppable!!
                        if you read any of the threads from folks who have had the surgery, you may see that many felt lousy off and on for months, until they started feeling better consistently...so you feeling awful still, so early after your major operation, seems more the norm than not! you can look forward to feeling so very much better than you did before surgery...if you just give it time! (i refer you to TiEd!)

                        and i'm pretty sure that no one meant to sound harsh...i sure didn't...but sometimes, when a person sounds a little bit stubborn in writing, one tends to try to emphasize what seems glaringly important...so please forgive me if i sounded a little...rough...? definitely didn't mean to!

                        hope you feel better soon...
                        jess
                        Last edited by jrnyc; 12-04-2010, 12:49 AM.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Originally posted by scuba steve View Post
                          Melissa,
                          So you are having fun with putting socks on and cutting toe nails too?!
                          Being fused all the way down EXCEPT the last 2 i thought i had all of my mobility issues dealt with.
                          And now this. I cannot even get into or out of my wetsuit booties without someone helping me. Putting the toilet seat down now is a big ordeal! And no i am not using this as an excuse
                          Still healing from the surgery. But incesion in looking great and one day i will fill good and the next like pooh. Wish i could get past this post surgery pain so i can see how old pain is.
                          Any tricks to deal with the total lose of bending. I had one of those poles with the mouth on it maybe i can dig it back out.
                          Have a great night.
                          SS
                          Steve, Hope you are doing better. I am 7 months today and I will not sugar coat my recovery. I still am in much pain. I have and use grabbers. I have one in every room. I use a sock putter oner to put my socks on. I go to a podiatrist every 10-12 weeks and he takes care of my feet as I cannot reach them.There are still many things that I cannot do and I have to ask someone to do them. I am not happy about my situation and at this point regret having the surgery. I did not have any choice however about it. If you want to , you can reach me at mabeckoff@bellsouth.net if you want to talk more /

                          God bless and you are in my prayers

                          Melissa

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            Steve, I get where your head is at the moment believe me. To feel as you cannot contribute and live your life almost the way your lived it before surgery can be such a downer.

                            But hey, give yourself some time eh. With your positive attitude the best of life is yet to come, please believe me when I say that to you. You just have to give your body the chance to heal and then little by little, surprise surprise, you will be able to start doing things you were doing before, maybe a different way, but never the less doing them. As you can see I have been fused for 44 years now and it has not stopped me from doing anything honestly. The whole enchilada, life has been a ball.

                            Ok so now its not such a ball but I am a long way ahead of you, and wow you have got just so much to look forward to. You sound as if you are a go and get em kind of guy, well go and get em down the track a little.

                            Lorraine.
                            Operated on in 1966, harrington rods inserted from T4 to L3, here in Australia. Fusion of the said vertebrae as well. Problems for the last 14 years with pain.
                            Something I feel deeply,"Life is like money,you can spend it anyway you wish, but can only spend it once.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Haws anyone heard from him? I have sent him several PM and not gotten a reply back.

                              Melissa

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                I am fine everyone. Just was having some computer probs for a week or so. Got sick of it and bought a new one.
                                Thanks for all the input. It seems that most have had good results after revision compared to the few who did not (at this point i can relate to the few).
                                Sat down a had a serious talk to wife about the business and i think we came up with a few ideas on giving me a break during the week.
                                Seen my pain management doc today who cut my percocets down to 90 month but increased dose of oxycotin to 30mg.
                                Will see if that helps.
                                Thanks again to all for letting me vent last week i felt like i was gonna blow a gasket.
                                SS
                                P.s. TitEd..maybe i will just lay in tub and breath air from tank.

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